Urgent Care Appointments

The doctors at WVH will be seeing urgent care appointments starting August 1st! In an effort to accommodate more emergency cases, we will be offering urgent care appointments during our regular business hours. There will be an additional $25 fee for booking an urgent care appointment and these coveted times will only be given to patients that need to be seen that day.  WVH sees patients by appointment only and we are unable to accommodate walk-in patients. By designating urgent care appointment time each day, it is our goal to reduce the number of patients that are sent to emergency facilities.

Noise Aversion in Dogs

The fourth of July is just around the corner and while we enjoy all of the parties, fireworks, and sparklers, many of our pets do not. Noise aversion is a serious medical condition that affects approximately one third of dogs in the U.S. Common signs of noise aversion include pacing, decreased appetite, hiding, panting, cowering, trembling, vocalizing, and lip licking. Dogs with noise aversion are often affected most by fireworks, thunderstorms, traffic and street noise, and construction work.

WVH is happy to help by prescribing a product called Sileo, for your pets with noise aversion. Sileo was the first FDA-approved treatment for noise aversion for dogs that is fast-acting, safe, and you can use it as needed for each noise event. This product calms your dog without sedating them so that they can continue to interact normally with your family. It is a gel medication that is absorbed in the mucous membranes of the mouth, making it easy to give - even to dogs who don't like taking medication.

Call our office to find out if Sileo is the right choice for your pet!

Feline Exam Room

Attention cat owners! Have you had a chance to experience our new feline only exam room? This room was designed with cats in mind and is a big step toward becoming an even more cat-friendly practice. The exam room is at the far end of the building and separated from all other areas by two doors. This dampens the ambient hospital noise and provides a quiet space for your kitty to explore. Many cats are attracted to the cubby built into the exam table. This space is covered on all but one side, so your cat can feel more secure while still allowing our veterinarians to examine them. Adventurous cats enjoy looking out the large windows and watching birds in the window feeder.

The cat-only exam room is also designed so that almost all procedures can be done without leaving the room. Moving to new areas is inherently stressful for cats, so our ability to keep them in one place during the veterinary visit helps minimize anxiety. We also have a cat-only waiting area just outside the exam room, which gives owners a close and comfortable place to sit while procedures are done in the room. If necessary, this also provides a secluded alternative to waiting in our lobby so that cats can avoid encounters with other cats, human strangers, and dogs. 

Has your kitty had a veterinary exam within the past year? If not, call to schedule a routine exam and see what a difference a cat-friendly environment can make for them.

Feline waiting area and exam room entrance.

Feline exam room with a window bird feeder and a cubby for hiding below the exam table.

Feline exam room with a window bird feeder and a cubby for hiding below the exam table.

Another view of our feline-only exam room.

Scroll through these photos to see some of our feline patients exploring areas of the cat exam room! Many cats prefer to hide during their exam and we also accommodate those kitties by examining them in their carriers.